The inventions described and claimed herein relate generally to gas burner tubes for barbecue grills. More specifically, the inventions relate to quick-connects for connecting a barbecue grill burner tube downstream from a gas supply. In particular, the preferred embodiment of the quick-connect can be characterized as an improved version of a bayonet connection which is less expensive to manufacture than traditional bayonet connections and allows easier, faster, and more efficient installation of a gas burner tube in a barbecue grill.
The preferred embodiment of the present inventions is comprised generally of a female connector and a male connector which are adapted to mate. The female connector and the male connector are preferably cylindrical to allow one to be rotated relative to the other when in mating configuration. The male connector is preferably integral with the gas supply control valve (i.e. typically formed or attached to the downstream distal end of a gas supply tube) and the female connector is preferably integral with the burner tube (i.e. typically formed or attached to the upstream distal end of the burner tube). It is contemplated, however, that the male connector could be integral with the burner tube and the female connector could be integral with the gas supply control valve.
The female connector is preferably cylindrical and preferably has an inwardly directed protrusion which is adapted to engage with the male connector and to lock the female connector to the male connector. The protrusion can be formed by any means known in the art; but is preferably formed by punching the wall of the female connector to form an inwardly directed bridge. The male connector comprises an entry portion and a groove. The entry portion is preferably adapted to allow the male connector to mate with the female connector and is characterized as a pathway for receiving the protrusion into the groove. The entry portion is preferably longitudinally aligned but could be both circumferentially and longitudinally aligned (i.e. spiral). The groove is preferably aligned circumferentially and extends for at least a portion of the circumference of the male connector, although the groove preferably extends for the entire circumference of the male connector. As an alternative, the groove could be characterized as a detent. Even further, the groove could terminate in a detent. When the female connector is rotated relative to the male connector while in mating engagement, the groove receives the protrusion which effectively prevents the female connector from moving axially relative to the male connector. A tight fit is preferable, although there may be some play in the connection. It is contemplated that instead of the aforementioned configuration, the male connector could comprise an outwardly directed protrusion and the female connector could comprise the entry portion and groove.
The preferred embodiment of the present inventions is characterized by a simple two move assembly; i.e., the preferred embodiment of the quick-connect fitting provides a means for installing burner tubes in a barbecue grill with two simple steps, reducing the time and cost of assembling a barbecue grill. In the first step, the burner tube is placed into assembly orientation and pushed axially such that the female connector and male connector are urged into mating engagement. In the assembly orientation, the protrusion on the female connector is aligned with the entry portion on the male connector, such that the female connector can receive the male connector. In the second step, the female connector is rotated into working orientation, wherein the protrusion is received into the groove, effectively preventing the female connector from axially disengaging the male connector. In the working orientation, the orifices on the burner tube are properly aligned for operation, preferably in the upward direction.
It should be understood that the drawings are not necessarily to scale and that the embodiments are sometimes illustrated by graphic symbols, phantom lines, diagrammatic representations and fragmentary views. In certain instances, details which are not necessary for an understanding of the inventions described and claimed herein or which render other details difficult to perceive may have been omitted. It should be understood, of course, that the inventions described herein are not necessarily limited to the particular embodiments illustrated herein.
Like reference numerals will be used to refer to like or similar parts from Figure to Figure in the following description of the drawings.